Lay for looms



Aug' 17, 1937 R. G. TURNER 2,090,080

LAY FOR LooMs V Filed June 25, l1956 Inventor A Richard Greentea Tur ner Ari'orney Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAY FOR LOOMS setts Application June 25, 1936, Serial No. 87,262

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in lays for looms and it is the general object of the invention to improve the construction of the lay corners adjacent the shuttle boxes.

It has been customary heretofore to employ metal corners for the lay adjacent the shuttle boxes in order that the weft may slide off the shuttle race as the lay moves. It is to be understood that the weft is beaten into the fell of the cloth when the lay is at front center and bound into this position by the crossing of the harnesses. As the lay starts rearwardly the selvage end of the filling is held in a fixed position while the shuttle which is attached to the other end moves backwardly. There is caused by this relative motion a strain in the weft tending to dispose it diagonally with respect to the fell. The polished metal corners heretofore used have permitted the weft to slide to this diagonal position,

but the hard metallic surface has been found toNR abrade the filling as the shuttle passes over the latter.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a cloth cover for the lay corner which will prevent the shuttle from pinching the weft under it against a hard surface, thus avoiding abrasion or breakin-g of the weft. Cloth in this position is required to withstand considerable wear and it is found desirable to use a durable type of cloth such as corduroy having a considerable thickness. The weft is likely to become embedded in the cloth to such an extent as to resist sliding to the diagonal position as the lay recedes and in order to free the weft and prevent sticking thereof it is a further object of my present invention to provide a guide well below the path of the shuttle in flight but sumciently high to afford a sliding surface over which the weft may move.

It has been found that if the polished guide surface is disposed perpendicularly to the reed some tendency exists for theweft to hesitate in its sliding movement and in order to insure proper motion of the filling it is a still further object of my invention to dispose the guide surface obliquely with respect to the lay.

It is a further object of my invention to incline the ends of the shuttle race downwardly and locate the thread guide surface above the adjacent low end of the incline but belowV the shuttle path. This arrangement permits the weft to extend to the inner or upper end of the incline before contacting with the cloth, thereby affording a length of thread which assists in freeing itself from the cloth cover. When the lay is in its forward position, the boxes will shift if there is to be a change in the pattern, hence the downward shift of a previously active shuttle has the effect of moving the weft over the guide surface as the lay advances, causing the filling to slide forwardly from the path of the next shuttle to be active.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. l is a front elevation of part of a loom having my invention applied thereto at both ends of the lay,

Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1 taken in the direction of arrow 2,

Fig. 3 is a detailed front elevation of the left end of the lay on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 4 is a plan taken in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an end elevation taken in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 3,

Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views showing the lay and shuttle box in two different positions with respect to the fell of the cloth, and

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the right hand side of the lay beam.

Referring to the drawing, the loom frame I0 supports a lay II mounted on lay swords I2. At the left end of the lay there is a gang of shifting shuttle boxes I3 havin-g a plurality of cells any one of which may be aligned with the shuttle race I4 by means of a box lifter rod I5 controlled in the usual manner from a box motion. Each cell has a box back I6 and a binder il as usual.

At the opposite or right hand side of the loom I have illustrated a magazine M constituting part of a shuttle changing mechanism which cooperates with upper and lower boxes 20 and 2l, respectively, positioned vertically by a box lifter rod 22. Ordinarily these boxes are down so that box 20 is aligned with the shuttle race to receive the active shuttle S, and its is only at the time of shuttle changing operations that the boxes 20 and 2| rise. This construction is shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 42,375.

For the purposes of the present invention it may be considered that except for replenishing purposes box 20 will be stationary with respect to the lay. The gang of boxes I3, however, shift in response to pattern changes so that the cells in the gang I3 may lie either above or below the shuttle race, depending upon the motion of lifter cloth 25. This type of cloth cover for the shuttle race lends itself conveniently to the present invention.

The matter thus far described of itself forms no part of my present invention and may be of the usual construction.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide a cloth cover for each end of the lay. As shownv at the right end of the lay in Fig. l, a strip of corduroy having a ribbed pile 'fabric with the ribs running parallel to the path of the shuttlel has the left end caught under one of the clampsr 26 and the other end led down along a vertical surfaces! of the lay, and may if desired extend partly under the lay as at 32. In orderto hold the right hand part of strip 33 in place I provide a combined clamp and thread guide 33 held to the lay by screws 34. The plate may be conn veniently made of metal and as shown in Fig. l

has an upper rounded surface which lies below the path of the shuttle S. The screws 34 pass through slots 36 which permita vertical adjustment of the plate 33 but `the slots are so located that the highest position attainable by the plate places the surface-35 under the path of the` shuttle. Continued use results in wearing of the pile surface of the corduroy strip and in order to compensate for this wearing the plate 33 may be lowered by means of the screws 34 and slots Sii. As shown in Fig. 2 the surface 35 is oblique with respect to the lay and path of the shuttle S, extending forwardly and inwardly toward the selvage Cof the cloth being woven.'

,At the opposite or left hand side of the loom there is another plate it similar. to the plate 33 but provid-ed with a depending extension 4! serving as a shuttle guard t0 prevent the shuttles in the lower cells below the shuttle'race from working inwardly toward the center of the loom. Plate 4i? has a guide surface 42 whichis rounded and extends obliquely as set forth in Fig. 4, being inclined toward the selvage. Except for the extension 4i, the guide plates 33 and'l are similar.

At both ends of the lay the upper surface 45 ofthe lwood is tapered downwardly as at 4@ sothat each cloth cover slopes downwardly to a point 48 at the end of the shuttle race. thread guide surface extends above point 48 so that a weft extending from the inner end of surface 4% at a point 5@ and the top of guide surface will lie an appreciable distance abovethe surface 5i of the fabric lying immediately over the incline 46, but below the shuttle path.

By reference to Figs. 6 and '7 an understanding may be had of the way inwhich the thread guide operates. It is to be understood that in loom operation the lay reaches approximately its mid position when moving rearwardly at the time the shuttle is picked, and as the lay moves forwardly the shuttle will be boxed at or near bottom center, after which the cells in the gang i3 will shift if there is to be a change in the pattern. Should The clamp plate 26 is removable to permit renewal of the A, drawn down between adjacent ribs.

"as the boxes move down as the lay continues to Thel the shift be down the active shuttle S which has just entered the cell aligned with the shuttle race will be lowered and the weft end extending from said shuttle will pass upwardly to the surface 42 and then toward point 56, lying over the part of the cloth cover adjacent to the guide but under the shuttle path, The tension on the weft will tend to embed it in the piles of the strip 36, and if the fabric be corduroy the weft is likely t0 be Inasmuch lmove forwardly there is the likelihood that the increasing tension of the weft will cause it to sink into the piles'of the fabric 363. The fact that the thread extends over the surface 42of the thread guide operates, however, to prevent too deep an embedding and also provides a free length of weft vextending from the surface 42 to the point 5G ,which is out of contact with the strip Forward motion of the lay will cause the weft W `from the shuttle S to slide along the surface Ilandthis condition together, with those previously described, is found to dislodge the thread from theclothv 30.

If thesame shuttle `is to remain active the condition shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6 will existwhere the weft W extends lfrom the fell F outwardly and forwardly y,to the shuttle across the surface As the lay moyes rearwardly the point of attachment between.; the fell and the weft W' remains stationary and the thread assumes the position shown in Fig. 7 which extends diagonally from the fell-rearwardly. VThe relative motion between the -surface 42 and the weft W,'together with the previously described conditions assists in dislodging the weft from the-'cloth 30' so that as the shuttle is picked it will not ride over its own lling and tend to abrade or break the same.l This condition exists at each end of the loom.

-While I have shown corduroy as a desirable fabric to cover the lay end, yet I do not wish to be limited to this typeof cloth, since other fabrics are available to provide the necessary protection to the lay wood and shuttle.

lFrom the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple means to dislodge a weft thread from a cloth covered lay corner, this means including a plate secured to the lay end and havingfa surface which is below the path of travel of the shuttle and above the cloth cover immediately adjacent thereto. By this relation the weft extends from a smooth guide surface along the lay an appreciable distance before contacting with the cloth'surface, and as a result of relative motion between the fell of the cloth and the lay, said smooth guide surface acts to dislodge the weft from the cover cloth. This dislodgement results either when the boxes are being shifted downwardly or when the lay is moving rearwardly from front center position, and effectively deects the filling extending from the selvage away from the path 0f theshuttle traverses when picked. While I have described the plates 33 and as beingl combined thread guides and clamps, yet the clamping feature is not essential, but is convenient. It will also be seen thatthe thread guiding surface is so located as-tov require a portion of the weft to extend therefrom toward the cloth for an appreciable distance before contacting with the cover cloth, this distance assisting in dislodging the filling. While I have shown corduroy as a specific `type of cloth which may be used to cover-'the lay end, yet I do not Wishl to be limited to such fabric.

Having thus described my invention it will be :een that changes and modifications may be made zherein by those skilled in the art without dearting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race, a shuttle box on the lay, a cloth covering for the shuttle race adjacent the shuttle box, and a member secured to the lay and having a smooth thread guiding surface below the path of the shuttle and located between the cloth and the shuttle box to prevent the weft extending from the shuttle from sinking into the cloth.

2. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race, a shuttle box on the lay, a cloth covering for the shuttle race adjacent the shuttle box, a member secured to the lay between the shuttle box and cloth covering and having a thread guiding surface located below the path of the shuttle and oblique with respect to said path, the guide surface preventing the weft from sinking into the cloth and the weft sliding over the guide surface as the lay moves with respect to the fell of the cloth being woven.

3. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race, a shuttle box on the lay, a cloth covering for the shuttle race adjacent the shuttle box, a substantially rigid member secured to the lay and having a thread guiding surface located between the cloth and the shuttle box and extending obliquely forwardly and toward the adjacent selvage, the guide surface located below the path of the Shuttle and tending to cause the weft to move forwardly away from the path of the shuttle as the lay moves rearwardly from extreme forward position.

4. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race, shifting shuttle boxes having cells capable of moving below the shuttle race of the lay, a cloth covering for the shuttle race adjacent the boxes, and a member secured to the lay and presenting a thread guiding surface between the cloth and the shuttle boxes located below the path of the shuttle and tending to move a weft thread extending from the adjacent selvage to a shuttle box below the shuttle race forwardly with respect to the fell of the cloth.

5. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race, shifting shuttle boxes having cells capable of moving below the shuttle race of the lay, a cloth covering for the shuttle race adjacent the shuttle boxes, and a member secured to the lay and presenting a thread guiding surfaceV between the cloth and shuttle boxes, said surface being below the path of the shuttle and extending obliquely forwardly and toward the adjacent selvage and tending to direct a weft thread leading from a shuttle below the shuttle race forwardly relatively to the path of the shuttle.

6. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race, shifting shuttle boxes having cells capable of moving below the shuttle race of the lay, a pile fabric cloth covering for the corner of the lay adjashuttle cent the shuttle boxes, and a member secured to the lay and presenting a thread guiding surface between the pile fabric cloth and the shuttle boxes and located below the path of the shuttle, said guide surface being disposed obliquely in a direction forwardly and toward the adjacent selvage and tending when a shuttle in a shuttle box moves to a position below the shuttle race to deflect the weft of said shuttle forwardly with respect to the path of the shuttle and prevent said weft from sin ng into the pile fabric.

'7. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race, a shuttle box on the lay, a cloth cover for the shuttle race adjacent the shuttle boxes extending along the race and do-wn a vertical surface of the lay, and a member constituting a combined cloth clamp and thread guide, said member serving to press the cloth against the lay to hold said cloth in place, and said member having a thread engaging surface located below the shuttle race and tending to prevent a weft thread extending from the shuttle toward the adjacent selvage from sinking intothe cloth.

8. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle box on the lay, a shuttle race extending along the lay and tapering downwardly adjacent one end thereof, a cloth cover for the end of the shuttle race, and a thread guide between the shuttle box and the cloth cover having a thread guiding surface located below the path of the shuttle and above the adjacent part of the cloth on the shuttle race.

9. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle race extending along the lay having one end thereof tapered downwardly, a shuttle box on the lay, a cloth cover for the tapered end of the shuttle race, a thread guide located between the cloth cover and the shuttle box, said cloth guide having a smooth upper surface extending diagonally for'- wardly and toward the adjacent cloth selvage, and located below the path of the shuttle and above the adjacent tapered end of the shuttle race.

10. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race along the top thereof one end of which is tapered downwardly, a cloth cover for the downwardly tapered end of the shuttle race, a shuttle box on the lay, and means on the lay below the shuttle path and between the cloth cover and the shuttle box to engage a weft thread extending from the shuttle race toward the shuttle box, the means located to position the thread between the shuttle path and the tapered part of the shuttle race.

1l. In a loom, a lay having a shuttle race one end of which is tapered upwardly and inwardly from the end thereof to a given point along the shuttle race, a shuttle box on the lay, and means to position a weft end extending from said point to the shuttle box and cause said weft end to lie along a path below the shuttle path and above said tapered end of the shuttle race.

RICHARD GREENLEAF TURNER. 

